Family Games
by Nellie D
Summary: Janice grew up being the girl from Victors Village. Her mum was a victor, the only one District 3 has had in a very long time. It's Reaping day and both Janice and her brother, Edric have been selected as tributes. The odds are not in their favour.
1. Reaping Day

I sit by the river trying not to think about the day ahead. Today is the day of the Reaping. Today is the day two kids from our district are sent to their deaths. Technically both have a chance to win, to survive, but this is District 3. No one from District 3 ever wins, not since Mum, twenty-years ago now. I'm not meant to be here. I told Mum I was going straight to the town centre, where the Reaping takes place. The truth is I just couldn't stand to be around Mum any longer. She always gats stressed on the day of the Reapings. Not that anyone could blame her, not only do they bring back bad memories of her own, she finds out which to kids she will be mentoring. Which family's she will feel guilty every time she sees. And of course she has us to worry about, me and Edric. We are both eligible this year. I know I need to get to town soon, missing the reaping means certain death, but I like it here it's peaceful, and for all I know I'll be dead within a week. The river is where some of my happiest memories take place. Further down the stream, where the factories wash their waste into the water, the river is polluted. The water is disgusting, smells terrible and is most certainly unsafe to drink. But here the water is clean, and great for swimming in. Not that I can go swimming today. It would ruin my brand new Reaping dress. It's a beautiful dress, though I don't like the colour. It is red, the colour of blood. A colour we will all be seeing far too much of once the Games begin. It was made especially for me, especially for today, and was unbelievably expensive. And though everyone wears their best clothes to the Reapings, few others will have a dress this expensive, but then again no one else has a mother who is a Victor. Just me and Edric. I stand up and slowly walk towards the town centre, no reason to worry Mum uselessly, not today. As soon as I reach the town centre, Micra and Edric rush up to me.

"Janice! Where have you been?" Micra asks nervously, my older sister is newlywed, and heavily pregnant. She also worries a lot.

"Don't worry," I laugh "I'm here now."

"Which is exactly why I'm worried, in case you haven't noticed the Reaping is about to start. I'm worried about both you and Edric, either one of you could end up a tribute!" she practically snarls at me.

Before I get a chance to reply, to assure her we both we be fine, a peacekeeper approaches us and ushers me and Edric towards the pens we are meant to stand in. Edric goes and stands with the other thirteen year olds, and instead of going to stand with the fifteen year olds like I should I wait for a second to make sure he is okay. He reaches over and hugs me.

"Good luck," I whisper in his ear, for it would be rude to say aloud, because for him to be lucky, to be safe, another kid would not be.

"Oh, look at that little Edric giving his big sister a hug," a boy Edric's age laughs, he is a bully of a kid, Linus, and seems to find it enjoyable to torment Edric.

"Leave him alone," I snarl at him, "Can't you just be nice for one day, it's Reaping Day today and it's bad enough without losers like you making it worse,"

"You think I'm scared of you just because your mummy's a victor?"

"You should be scared of me," I snap, wanting to slap his smug face, but that would attract too much attention, so instead I stamp on his foot, and laugh as he screws his face up in pain. Serves him right.

As I enter the fifteen year olds pen, I'm suddenly nervous again. I look up at the stage where Mum sits in her place, alone. In other districts, they train their tributes and have many victors. I don't know how they do it; convince kids to volunteer to take place in the Hunger Games. These kids, known as Careers, tend to be from Districts 1, 2, and 4. They train their whole lives for the _honour_ of taking part. And even through most years one of the Careers does win, even then five of them die. The mayor starts to talk, giving the same standard speech he is required to give every year, and then our Capitol escort, Verity Onyx steps forwards. She doesn't look very happy to be stuck with District 3. Not that I blame her, half the time our tribute don't even survive the bloodbath.

"Happy Hunger Games, ladies and gentlemen!" she exclaims, "And may the odd's be ever in your favour! Now let's begin!" She actually claps her hands, before reaching into the Reaping Ball.

I screw my hands into a fist and take deep breaths. Katie, my best and only friend, grabs my wrist her eyes wide with fright. Not only is she worrying about herself her to younger sisters are also eligible. I wonder how those with my entries than me cope. There are kids whose families are so poor they have to sign up for the tesserae multiple times just to survive. There were kids Edric's age with more entries than me. I should feel lucky, but I didn't. No one ever feels lucky until the Reaping is over. Verity continues to stare down at the piece of paper in her hand. The suspense is killing me, especially knowing what's written on that piece of paper actually could.

"Janice Cold," she calls.

Every one turns to stare at me. Someone, who I assume is Micra, screams. Katie lets go of my arm. Mum, up on stage stands up and then sits back down. I mount the stage determined not to cry.

"You must be Kyra's daughter," Verity smiles, "You look just like her. Any volunteers? No? Well then, now onto the boys!"

She practically skips across the stage to the boy's Reaping Ball and pulls out a name and looks down at the paper. The pause is even longer than it was for the girls.

Finally she speaks, "Edric Cold."

I stand there numbly as Edric mounts the stage. Even Verity Onyx has enough sense to keep her Capitol accented mouth shut except for to ask for volunteers. The mayor stands again and reads out the Treaty of Treason and then the anthem is played. Once the anthems finished I reach out and shake my brother's hand, horribly aware of the tears streaking down my face


	2. Visitors

I have never been in the Justice Building before. I sit there trying not to think how this is the building from District 3, I will ever be in alive, but of course it's the only thing I can think of. That and how Edric will die as well. Five minutes pass, and no one has been up to see me. Though I'm not popular I am surprised that no one wants to see me, to say good-bye. Finally Micra and her husband, Kade, enter the room.

"Janice!" she cries, "I can't believe this is happening!"

I stand up and hug her. She squeezes me tightly, running her hand through my hair.

"I'm sorry I left you alone for so long," she said, releasing me, "I went to see Edric first with Dad. Dad, well, kind of broke down we he saw him. Dad said to tell you, that he loves you, and that he is so sorry he can't see you."

"Why not?" I demand.

"Because he broke down after seeing Edric and he didn't want to upset you,"

Typical, they went to Edric first. Of course they would, and of course they were upset. But I knew it was not me, Dad was protecting when he did not come and visit me, it was himself.

"Micra, please leave, go tell Dad, that he is selfish and I doubt I will ever forgive him."

Micra looked horrified that I would say such a thing. I was horrified with myself. Micra hurried out of the room before I had a chance to take back what I said. I wondered if she actually would tell him. Kade stood there awkwardly, obviously wanting to chase after Micra, but also not wanting to leave me alone. He was a good man, Kade.

"They both love you, you know," he said softly, "They love you and Edric more than anything."

"I know," I murmur, "I know that. I'm just upset, and it's easier to lash out than to face reality. Go after her, and tell her I love her."

"Good-bye Janice."

"Good-bye Kade."

As soon as he leaves, Katie and her two younger sisters enter. Katie sits down next to me on the couch. Her sisters, who are twins, stand awkwardly in the corner. One of them, Tabitha I think, has been crying. I give them what I hope is a reassuring smile.

"Promise me you'll do everything can to win," Katie demands.

"I can't"

"You have to!"

"I'll try," I say "But I'm competing against Edric, I can't hurt him."

Katie sighs knowing that I'm right. We sit in silence until a peacekeeper signals that it's time for them leave. I hug Katie and then the twins. As they are escorted out of the room, Katie yells at me over her shoulder, "Don't give up."

My next visitor surprises me. It's Linus. The boy who was bullying Edric this morning.

"I came to apologise," he says, "I was upset this morning. Because it's Reaping Day. My sister was a tribute, but she died. Your mum was her mentor. I guess I've always blamed you and your family for her death. I'm sorry."

I vaguely remember his sister. She was my age when she became a tribute. She did quite well, if I remember correctly, but in the Hunger Games quite well isn't good enough. Only the winner survives.

"Have you been to see Edric?" I ask.

"No."

"Don't," I say, "It will only upset him."

"Will you tell him that I'm sorry then," he asks.

"No. You can tell him yourself, when he returns."

It was that moment I decided that I would do whatever it takes to make sure that Edric was the victor.


	3. The Train

The ride from the Justice Building to the train station was short. When we arrived at the station there were cameras everywhere. Edric gripped my hand tightly. I gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. I did not bother to wave or smile at the cameras. I've already ruined most my chances at winning sponsors today by crying at the Reaping. Oh well, it's not like I'm going to win anyway. Even if I tried I doubt I could, and every dollar sponsors spend on me could go to Edric instead. Edric still has a chance. We board the train and I say a silent good bye to District 3.

"You two look so alike it's remarkable, I've never seen siblings so similar, especially a boy and a girl. And of course you both look so much like your mother. Gorgeous, all three of you," Verity gushes, I assume when she says all three of us, she means me, Edric, and mum. There is no way she would know anything about Micra, even though she must have been working with Mum for years, "And your hair is just stunning, your stylists will be pleased. Red hair is very in right now, and for you to have that colour naturally, I'm very jealous."

_Jealous, _for her to say she was jealous of us makes me want to slap her. How dare she say she is jealous when I will be dead in a matter of weeks, and chances are Edric will be as well. Is she so oblivious to everything that she thinks that will be taken as a _compliment._ I wonder if all the Capitol people are this stupid, or just the ones that work in the Games. And for that matter, what do the ones who don't work in the Games _do_, everything is provided for them by the Districts. I guess I'm going to find out, though the information isn't worth dying for.

"Janice!" Verity snaps, obviously realising that I haven't been listening to her endless babble, "it's rude to not to answer someone when they ask you a question."

"I'm sorry what's the question?"

"I asked you whether you will be able to find your own way to dinner in an hour, while I go look after your mother."

"Sure," I mutter, and she hurries off, and it might just be my imagination but she actually looks concerned, though it's probably only for her image not my mother or anything so kind. I'm left standing with Edric, he looks so scared I'm surprised he's not crying. In fact he hasn't cried this whole time, unlike me. He's strong, hopefully strong enough to win this thing.

"Can you remember the way to our rooms?" I ask, just for something to say, the silence is awful. He nods and leads me through the maze of corridors until we finally reach the rooms Verity had pointed out to us earlier. I go to say something, but can't think of anything to say that doesn't sound like a goodbye. Obviously Edric can't think of anything either, and we both slip into our rooms in silence.

The rooms are amazing. The whole train is really, but the bedrooms are practically amazing. I grew up in Victors Village, by far the flashes hose in District 3, and am used to extravagance, but this is far flasher than home. I'm embarrassed to admit but me, from District 3, the technology District, cannot work out how to turn on the lights. I try various buttons and switches and accidently turning on some incredibly loud music, and thankfully turning it off again, I give up, and simply slip between the sheets of the bed.


	4. Others

After what felt twenty seconds, I am shaken awake.

"Come on," Edric muttered, "Wake up."

I notice Edric had changed out what he was wearing at the Reaping, into something he must of found in his room.

"How long was I asleep?" I ask.

"You missed dinner, Verity was furious, especially since Mum skipped it as well. It's time for the recap of the Reapings. Verity said there was no way we were able to miss that. She was going to come and get you herself, but I convinced her to let me come and get you instead."

"Thanks," I say, climbing out of bed and running my hands through my hair. Edric had worked out how to turn on the lights, and now I could see the room properly I realised it was even flasher than I had first thought. Really, it was such a waste.

"Are you going to get changed?" Edric asked, "There are still a few minutes before the recap starts."

"No," I mutter, too embarrassed to admit that I couldn't find the light switch let alone find something to wear.

"Well, come on I guess."

When we reach the lounge, Verity is waiting, sitting on a couch, staring at the screen, on which the recap is about to start. She looks relived to see us, properly thinking that I was going to skip this, like I skipped dinner.

"Oh, good, you're here. You're just in time the recaps about to start!" Verity exclaims, "Now the recaps very important, it's you're first chance to see your competition. I'll take notes on all the tributes, so we can go other it again later. Now you have to pay particular attention to the tributes face when there name is called. The first few seconds is when they show their true selves, before the get a chance to hide their feelings and put on an act. The expression you see then, that's the real them, the version of them you will be facing in the arena."

Just then Mum enters the room. I haven't seen her since the Reaping, but it's obvious she's been crying, her face is stained with tears. I have never seen Mum cry, not when she had a miscarriage a few years ago, and not when Dad walked out shortly after. I've seen old footage of her Games, she did not cry during the Reaping, nor when she broke her wrist, or when her District partner died in her arms. Mum never cries, but she has been, for us. This must be so hard on her. I consider telling her that I'm going to make sure that Edric comes home, but it will properly only make her feel worse, so I keep quiet.

Just as well, because the recap of the Reapings begins to play and one look from Verity tells us talking is _not_ allowed. One good thing I can say about Verity Onyx is that she does take her job as an escort seriously. I don't see why we can't though as the jabber coming from the commentators is far more pointless than anything we would say. The girl from District 1, Flicka is incredibly beautiful as is the girl from 2, her District partner Cole, looks like he has the potential to win this, easily.

Then it shows us. I look away from the screen as they call our names and we mount the stage. But the comments of the commentators I can't block out, they're over the moon when they realise that I'm the daughter of Kyra Cold, a past Victor, because apparently Victor's kids are 'always interesting'. They're happier again when they Realise Eric's my brother, apparently this is a first, having a Victor have two kids be Tributes in the same year. Then it's on to District 4. The girl is surprisingly plain for a Career, but that doesn't mean she lacks the skill. The boy too looks deadly. I pay little attention to the next few Districts, even though Verity told us to watch their faces. Oh well, I can always read her notes later. A few tributes catch my eye though, the girl from District 8, Velvet actually volunteers. The boy from District 9, walks with an obvious limps, why is that almost every year at least one of the tributes has a disability? Finally they reach District 12, when the girl's name is called, the girl, who looks to be ten, not at least twelve, well dressed with curly blonde hair, faints. She recovers remarkably quickly, mounting the stage with determination. The commentators laugh at her, and I want to slap them. They must know that she will not survive the Hunger Games, and looking at her she is far too young to die, and yet they laugh. It makes me feel physically sick knowing that I could be the one to kill this girl, this child. I completely miss her District partner in my disgust, looking back in time to see the Pamen seal appear on screen.

"Some Reapings are hard to watch, aren't they?" Verity says, in a way I take to be reassuring, "But it is good thing for us, really. The less serious competition the better."

"Can we please not talk like this?" I ask.

"Like what?" Verity actually looks confused.

"Like the others aren't actual people, like they aren't sitting with their mentor_s_ right now, trying to work out how to survive, when they know they haven't got a hope. Like they not real people, who are going to die! Like the lives of twenty-four _kids_ aren't at stake, with only one of them with a chance of living. Like this isn't just a stupid game!" I scream, I'm sobbing uncontrollably, and though a voice in my head tells me to apologise , to not make Verity hate me any more than she already does, I ignore it. I'm going to die either way, so what does it matter.

Verity says nothing, and we sit there in awkward silence, only broken by my sobs. Eventually Mum wraps me up in her arms and hugs me hard. She wipes away my tears, and I start to regain control of my breathing. Then Mum turns to Verity, and Verity actually looks scared of her.

"Verity, go find an Avox to get us some food. Both me and Janice missed dinner, and are very hungry."

"Yes, of course, you both must be absolutely starving. I'll go find an Avox," she said, obviously pleased for an excuse to leave.

Starving. I'm shocked that she would use that word so lightly. Is that truly the Capitol definition of starving, to miss one meal? At home, in District 3, people starve to death every year. I know kids at school who miss most meals, simply because there is nothing to eat. I have always felt guilty about our wealth, how we have so much when everyone else has so little, but obviously no one in the Capitol cares at all about it at all. I fight the urge to laugh hysterically, I truly am falling apart.

"What are Avoxes?" Edric asks.

I know the answer to this, from overhearing a conversation between my Mum and her sister, when Mum was ranting about the Capitol, the Games, and many other things. Everything she said was highly illegal and if anyone but me had overheard, she could have been killed. Obviously I wasn't meant to hear this, so I keep quiet and let Mum answer the question.

"An Avox is a person who has betrayed Pamen in some way," Mum answers choosing her words carefully, "As a punishment their tongues are cut out, and they become servants."

Her disgust is barely disguised, and mirrored on Edric's face. And though I am disgusted by their treatment, I am too selfish to truly care, too caught up in my own problems.

Verity returns, followed by two women who must be Avoxes. They are carrying huge trays of food, most of it stuff I don't even recognise. They lay the food on the table and then leave, returning seconds later with even more trays. They leave, and even their footsteps are silent. I pick at a piece of cheese, because despite what Verity seems to think I'm not actually hungry.

"Enough of this!" Edric announces.

"Enough of what?" Mum asks wearily.

"All this doom and gloom!"

"We are about to die! I think we are allowed to be a little gloomy, don't you?" I snarl at him.

"Janice!"

"Yeah, one of us is going to die," Edric says, "But District 3 will have a victor this year. And if I die, I want my last few days to be happy, so do this for me. Okay?"

"Yeah, okay," I agree.

"Well, you're doing a terrible of it. Smile Janice, to be happy you have to smile!" I scowl at him and he laughs, then addressing Verity he asks, "What's that?"

He points, at a chopped up orange fruit. It's on a sliver tray surrounding by strawberries dipped in chocolate.

"The strawberries?" she asks, "Or the oranges?"

"The oranges," Edric confirms.

"Well, they are a type of fruit. Very juicy, but not very sweet, so they are normally sprinkled with sugar before they are served. You can't eat the skin, but they are far too messy to serve without it, so you just have to eat around it."

I peer down at the fruit, and realise that she is right; I can just make out tiny grains of sugar on top. Edric picks up a piece of it and sticks it in his mouth, sucking on the fruit. The skin covers his lip, looking like a weird orange smile. I giggle at him, he looks ridiculous.

"You look like Caesar Flickerman!" Mum laughs, "With matching hair and lips!"

Even Verity sniggers at that. The rest of the evening passes as a blur. We laugh and joke, as if everything is fine. At one stage Verity points out some round blobish sweets. I don't get what she is so excited about, compared to everything else we had been eating this evening they were rather bland. But then you she places it on a skewer, and burns it on a candle. This time it tastes amazing. We continue you to talk and I realise that Verity isn't actually that bad of a person. It's not her fault she was born in the Capitol.

But soon enough we arrive in the Capitol and the laughter disappears. It's a reminder we are not here to laugh, we are here to compete in the Hunger Game. We are here to die.


	5. Remake Centre

**Thanks so much for **_**cabooseblueteam**_** and **_**reality slayed the dreamer**_ **for their reviews! They made my day! You guys are so nice.**

**Anyways…**

The next morning we are sent to the Remake Centre to meet with our stylists. But before we get to our stylists we have to get though our prep team. My prep team, Jaydean, Ruella, and Zeta, are thoroughly disgusted about my body hair. But then again I would be horrified if I looked like them. They all, Jaydean especially, have had so much surgery that they don't even look human. Though they are paid to make me look good, they pay very little attention to me. They gossip amongst themselves, mainly about the latest fashions and who wore what. Occasionally they snap at me to keep still, but other than that they ignore me. When my body is declared clean and hairless, they turn to my face.

"You have such nice skin," Ruella sighs, "Normally the District 3 tributes skin is all pale and blotchy."

"Yes," Zeta agrees, "If my skin was like that I wouldn't have to dye it."

Zeta lifts up her arm to demonstrate, her whole body is dyed a glittery gold colour that sparkles when she moves. I doubt very much that she wouldn't dye her skin no matter what her natural skin looked like. I smile slightly anyway because coming from her it is a very big compliment.

They brush out my hair, tweeze my eyebrows, and rub some weird cream over the scar on my chin. Finally they gave me a weird rubber thing and told me to put it in my mouth and bite down on it. It tasted completely foul and I must of screwed up my face, as Jaydean and Ruella both burst out laughing. Zeta restrained herself to a smirk, but obviously found it just as amusing. When Jaydean regained a straight face he explained to me that it is to whiten my teeth and I must keep it in for a full minute. Finally the minute is up and Jaydean signals for me to take it out. I spit in onto the ground not caring how bad that looks.

"Well that's us done," Jaydean tells me, "I'll go and get Gablatrix, your stylist."

He leaves the room and Ruella follows. Zeta follows him to the door and then pauses.

"You're going to look amazing when Gablatrix finishes with you," she tells me, "She is amazing, she was offered a promotion to District 1 last year but she turned it down, I think because she is such good friends with your mum. Any way you look so much better already. Here," she says handing me a mirror, "So you can see what I'm talking about."

I take the mirror and she leaves me alone. I hold it up to my face and gasp when I see my reflection. I still look like myself, but at the same I look completely different. The scar on my check is gone, as are my freckles. My hair is shinier and smoother than it ever is naturally and the foul tasting thing has clearly done its job, my teeth are incredibly white. I look, as Verity would say, stunning. I lift my hand to run it though my hair, before noticing my nails had been pointed into spikes and painted white. I laugh out loud, they are both beautiful and deadly. As I will have to be to win.

Then I realise I am not the only one laughing. I drop the mirror in fright, spinning around to face them. I'm furious with myself, if I had of been in the Arena I would be dead.

"I'm sorry," the woman, I presume to be my stylist Gablatrix, "I didn't mean to startle you."

"No, it's okay," I mutter embarrassed.

I force myself to look up and meet to her eyes. She is younger than I expected, properly in her late twenty's when for some reason I expected someone my mother's age. Then again she might be Mums age for all I know, the majority of the people in the Capitol have so much surgery tell their actual age. But she doesn't look like she had surgery, she looks very natural, expect for her colouring. Unnaturally white skin, almost as pale as snow, pitch black hair and eyes, and unnaturally red lips. Her hair hang down past her waist, and was tucked behind her ears, and she wore a skirt which changed colour every second flashing hundreds of shades of blue, pink, yellow, red, purple and orange. Her top was a plain blue shirt, similar to what people wore at home. Her appearance was freaky, like all the Capitol people, but she was also beautiful. She smiled at me, obviously waiting for me to say something, but what?

Finally I blurt, "Zeta told me you and Mum are friends."

"We are, and have been for years, ever since I was first assigned District 3. She's a wonderful woman, Kyra. Most people who meet her like her, and I have been lucky enough to work with her for a number of years."

"She has never mentioned you though," I say and then bite my tongue, I need to stop making the only people that can help me hate me.

But she only laughs, " I doubt she talks about the Capitol much, and I don't blame her. Now do you want to see your outfit for tonight?"

"Yes."


	6. Capitol Style

"Me and Dire, your brother's stylist, have spent months coming up with designs for your outfits. We had about five possible designs we were going to choose between after the tributes were chosen, depending on which outfit would suit them best. But when you and Edric were chosen, well that changed things. All things considered you are not like the other kids from your District, and so outfits designed for them, aren't going to suit you, and so me and Dire have been up all night designing and making you and Edric's outfits. That's why I'm only here now, we only just finished. Normally I would of came and talked to you before setting the prep team loose, I know they can be quite overwhelming."

I laugh lightly, "I guess they are, but they seem nice enough, especially Zeta. So do I get to see what I'm going to wear?"

"I'm not going to show the outfit itself until you put it on, because it looks rather boring on the hanger, and I still have a lot to do before you put it on but watch this."

She pulls out a small disc, and above it appears a hologram. I blink not believing what I see, but the image doesn't change. It's me, the me I have seen in the mirror that now lies shattered at my feet, except I look different again. I am wearing my hair is curled and I'm dressed in a beautiful sliver metallic outfit, it's tight with a plunging neckline but it's somehow not immodest. I'm standing on a chariot like the ones used in the Tribute Parade, and I'm smiling and waving like a Career. I look completely at ease, almost above it all. This isn't me, I cannot act like this, it may look like me, sort of, but there is no way this will ever truly ever be me. Gablatrix smiled, and pushed a button on the side. It zoomed in on my face, and I'm shocked at how accurate it is. The curve of my nose, the shade of my eyes, it's me right down to the last detail. Obviously I _knew_ that this was possible, seeing it is different, because since I have never had to work in the factories, either designing or making unlike most my age who have been working since the second they are old enough, I have never seen this sort technology. My face, and it truly is my face, has been painted, sliver eyes and bright red lips.

"I look… unbelievable."

"You look beautiful, and you will tonight. The technology is amazing, isn't it? You would actually believe that it had happened. Now let's get started!"

After what feels like hours, I am deemed 'ready'. Gablatrix leads me to a full length mirror and I gasp. I didn't expect to look so much like the hologram, the outfit feels so soft and light, I'm surprised that it looks so… cold. It shimmers as I move. The sliver boots go above my knee, guess I'm shorter than Gablatrix thought. The boots look so impractical and completely impossible in the mirror but they are actually quite comfortable. My hairs been curled so tightly that it doesn't even reach my shoulders, with sliver threads braided in. I look like I belong in the Capitol, and the thought makes me scowl.

"Smile!" Gablatrix snaps at me, "You will need sponsors, and to get them you must smile! I cannot stress this enough, smile, smile, smile!"

I smile at her sarcastically, and she rolls her eyes.

"Well I've done all I can. Here one last thing."

She takes out a ring out of her pocket, and slips it onto my finger. It's gold with a large over size emerald on it. It would have to be worth more than an average household at home would earn in an year. Properly more than any household at home earns in a year, that is, excluding us. I look at it closely and realise that it looks familiar, though how I have no idea.

"It was your mother's token," Gablatrix tells me quietly.

"Where did she get it from?"

"You will have to ask her yourself. Now come on, or we are going to be late."


	7. Paraded

Edric is already there when we arrive. He is standing next to our horses with his stylist Dire. I am suddenly very glad that I got Gablatrix as my stylist not Dire, as Dire simply looks scary. As soon as we arrive Edric grins.

"Starting to think you would never turn up," he laughed.

He is dressed identically to me, except his neckline is nowhere near as low, his boots don't have heels, and of course he doesn't have Mum's ring. But he is wearing just as much makeup and suddenly I kind of pity Dire, getting that much makeup on Edric must have been difficult.

I look around at the other tributes. District1 looks beautiful, draped in jewels. Both tributes from District 5 look like they have been electrocuted. Most other districts are wearing very little, skimpy outfits, and while some pull them off, on most they just look stupid. District 12 is dressed like this and well the boy can pull it off, kind of, on the girl it looks plain ridiculous. She barely up to her district partners waist, and I'm guessing her outfit is an attempt to make her look older but if it is it's failed miserably, she looks even younger than at the Reaping. The boys hand hovers over her shoulder protectively, I wonder how long _that _alliance will last.

All too soon the parade begins. We stand on our chariot and first District 1 and then District 2 goes. They are both greeted with roars from the crowd. Edric links arms with me, and I realise that with my heels me and him are the same height. When did my baby brother become taller than me? Dire and Gablatrix shout last minute instructions to smile at us. Then it is our turn, and the crowd's cheers die slightly. Stuck between the Career Districts we are mainly ignored. But then the cheers grow loud again, and they aren't for District 4 behind us.

"Three! Three! Three!" the crowd shouts, "Janice! Edric!"

I grin when I hear my name, I'm surprised they even bothered to learn it. We loop the City Circle waving and smiling, trying to hide our fear. Edric points up to one of the screens on the buildings, which are showing our faces._. _The picture on the screen switches from us to District 2, who aren't smiling, in fact they both look completely oblivious to the crowd. It changes again to District 9 both of whom look terrified. Watching them my smile wavers, as I remember that I shouldn't be happy, I should be scared, just like them. Edric leans over and whispers something in my ear. I pull a face, I can't hear him over the noise, as the crowd is still yelling and cheering, for _us._

"Laugh, like I just said something really funny," Edric shouts in my ear, "The crowd will love it!"

I laugh, and the crowd does love it. I wave at them and they scream louder. I don't need Gablatrix's instructions to smile now, I grinning because I want to. The feeling is great, it's like being on top of the world. Because in a way we are, our faces are everywhere, the Capitol, the whole of Panem, is paying attention to us.

But soon our chariot stops in front of President Snow's mansion, and reality comes crashes back. We should not be enjoying this. We aren't here to smile and laugh. We are here as a punishment and a reminder of the Districts actions. We are here to die for the Capitols entertainment. President Snow gives his address to the crowd and I don't hear a word of it, but I know what he is saying. It is the same thing he says every year. How the District rebelled and how the Capitol won, and how this is to remind us of what happened. As if the Hunger Games are our fault. The he wishes us a 'Happy Hunger Games' as if that's possible. The anthem starts and the screens show the tributes faces. The cut to me and Edric and remembering Gablatrix's words I force myself to smile.

Finally the anthem ends and we parade around the Circle one last time and then enter the Training Centre.


End file.
